Loretta Lynn photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

In the 1960s and early ‘70s, when Loretta Lynn was at her commercial peak, country hits were notably short musical affairs.

“Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)” ran a quaint two minutes and nine seconds. “Fist City” came in at 2:13. “You’re Lookin’ At Country” was a scant 2:20.

So it was apropos that when the Recording Academy honored the Coal Miner’s Daughter Tuesday, it took just 45 minutes — short and sweet and pretty neat. Host Reba McEntire started the night off with a zippy western-swing version of “If You’re Not Gone Too Long,” bolstered by the Time Jumpers’ triple-fiddle section, pass-around solos and a walking stand-up bass.

Continue Reading

ShareThis

Tracy Lawrence photo courtesy of Rocky Comfort Records.

That swine flu virus that’s tapping out vaccine supplies and landing people in the hospital across the U.S. has hit Nashville. Music City ran through its first shipment of the vaccine in a scant two days, and even before that, Tracy Lawrence became one of country music’s first victims.

“For five or six weeks, I was pretty sick,” he told The Norman Transcript in Oklahoma. “I had H1N1 and pneumonia. It hit me a little harder because I’m asthmatic. It knocked me down pretty hard.”

Continue Reading

ShareThis